is
seeming of calm was dangerously deceptive.

Finally as he lay flattened and listening with all his faculties
razor-edged, he heard something that electrified him--a woman's scream.

Clawing out his pistol, he threw all caution to the winds and raced for
the entrance of the cave, and as he went he heard it again, now sharp
and terrified, and he recognized Blossom's voice.

In his haste it did not even occur to him to feel surprised that no
rifles greeted him. An exaltation of wrath intoxicated him with
superlative confidence. He could meet and overcome a host of enemies!
His voice rose in Berserker frenzy. "I'm a-comin', Blossom! I'm
a-comin'!"

* * * * *

For perhaps three-quarters of an hour after Blossom had recovered
consciousness the second time, it had pleased her captor to sit across
the narrow way from her, gloating with a bestial satisfaction over her
helplessness, while he poured white stuff from bottle to tin cup.

Despite the advantages of his position, Ratler had thoughts which were
disconcerting. At his hands lay the final opportunity to glut his
long-starved hunger for revenge: to glut it fully and in a fashion of
beastly brutality, and for that he had waited with a singleness of
thought and purpose.

But behind him to-night he must leave no witness, and as he approached
his task, he found that his nerves needed the steadying of strong
drink--and yet more strong drink. Out of the flask he was not only
drawing appeasement of thirst, but fuel for determination.

For a while he had even dozed while the girl, bound hand and foot, had
shudderingly watched his dissolute and depraved face.

Then at the end he had risen, stretched his long arms and sauntered
insolently over, looking down while he phrased repulsive compliments to
her beauty.

Tiring eventually of his cat-and-mouse deliberateness, Ratler leaned
down and, putting his arm about her waist, drew her up to him. Then it
was that with all the revulsion that was in her she had screamed not
once but until his hand had choked off her breath--and at that instant
she had heard the shout from beyond the cave's entrance.

Webb heard it, too, and hurled the woman away from him, suddenly
brought back to something nearer sobriety by the shock. He wheeled and
trained his pistol on the entrance. He had laid aside his rifle and
there was no time now to hunt for it. Bear Cat would have to stoop and
edge his way i